Greetings

1. ᐅᓪᓗᒃᑯᑦ

   Ul-luk-kut

   Good day

   Usage

   Everyday daytime greeting. Use ullaakkut in the morning, unnusakkut in the afternoon and unnukkut in the evening

   Grammar Note

   The form changes by time of day. -kkut means "by way of" and builds ullaakkut, unnusakkut and unnukkut the same way

2. ᐅᓪᓛᒃᑯᑦ

   Ul-laak-kut

   Good morning

   Usage

   Morning greeting

   Grammar Note

   Ullaaq means "morning" and -kkut turns it into a greeting for the morning hours

3. ᐅᓐᓄᓴᒃᑯᑦ

   Un-nu-sak-kut

   Good afternoon

   Usage

   Greeting for the afternoon. The other person answers with the same word

   Grammar Note

   Unnusa means "afternoon" and -kkut turns it into a greeting

4. ᐅᓐᓄᒃᑯᑦ

   Un-nuk-kut

   Good evening

   Usage

   Greeting for the evening. It is not a bedtime "good night"

   Grammar Note

   Unnuk means "evening" and -kkut turns it into a greeting

5. ᑐᙵᓱᒋᑦ

   Tu-nnga-su-git

   Welcome

   Usage

   Said when receiving someone. The reply is tunngasuppunga ("I feel welcome")

   Grammar Note

   This is the form for one person. Use tunngasugitsik for two people and tunngasugitsi for three or more

6. ᖃᓄᐃᑉᐱᑦ?

   Qa-nu-ip-pit?

   How are you?

   Usage

   Asks one person how they are. The answer is qanuinngittunga ("I'm fine")

   Grammar Note

   Use qanuippisik for two people and qanuippisi for three or more. Qanuippa asks about him, her or it

7. ᖃᓄᐃᙱᑦᑐᖓ.

   Qa-nu-i-nngit-tu-nga.

   I'm fine.

   Usage

   The answer to Qanuippit?

   Grammar Note

   -tunga means "I". Qanuinngittuq is "he/she/it is fine" and qanuinngittugut is "we (three or more) are fine"

8. ᓇᑯᕐᒦᒃ

   Na-kur-miik

   Thank you

   Usage

   The usual "thank you" in South Baffin (Iqaluit). The reply is ilaali ("you're welcome")

   Grammar Note

   For emphasis say nakurmiimmarialuk ("thank you very much"). Qujannamiik is also widely used with the same meaning

9. ᐃᓛᓕ.

   I-laa-li.

   You're welcome.

   Usage

   The set reply to thanks

   Grammar Note

   A fixed one-word reply to nakurmiik or qujannamiik

10. ᑕᕝᕙᐅᕗᑎᑦ

    Tav-va-u-vu-tit

    Goodbye

    Usage

    A parting word. When you will meet again soon, use takulaarivuguk or takuniaqquguk

    Grammar Note

    A fixed one-word expression

11. ᑕᑯᓛᕆᕗᒍᒃ.

    Ta-ku-laa-ri-vu-guk.

    See you again soon.

    Usage

    A parting phrase for someone you will see again soon. Add a day to make a plan (takulaarivuguk pingatsirmi, "see you on Wednesday")

    Grammar Note

    The ending -guk means "we two", so the phrase says that the two of you will see each other again

12. ᑕᑯᓂᐊᖅᑯᒍᒃ.

    Ta-ku-ni-aq-ku-guk.

    See you in a bit.

    Usage

    For someone you will see again within a short time

    Grammar Note

    -niaq- means "later today" and the ending -guk means "we two"

13. ᐅᓪᓗᖃᑦᓯᐊᕆᑦ.

    Ul-lu-qat-si-a-rit.

    Have a good day.

    Usage

    A set phrase when parting. This is the form for one person

    Grammar Note

    Use ulluqatsiaritsik for two people and ulluqatsiaritsi for three or more

14. ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒋᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᕕᒻᒥ.

    Qu-vi-a-su-git qu-vi-a-su-vim-mi.

    Merry Christmas.

    Usage

    A Christmas greeting. Quviasuvvik means "Christmas"

    Grammar Note

    A fixed two-word phrase that builds on the stems of quviasuttuq "happy" and quviasuvvik "Christmas"

15. ᕿᑲᑦᑎᐊᓛᖅᑯᑎᑦ!

    Qi-kat-ti-a-laaq-ku-tit!

    Have a great holiday!

    Usage

    For someone going on holiday

    Grammar Note

    Addressed to one person; the ending changes for two or more

16. ᖃᐅᑉᐸᑦ ᑭᓲᓛᖅᑲ?

    Qa-up-pat ki-suu-laaq-ka?

    What day is it tomorrow?

    Usage

    Asks which day it is. Day names are words such as pingatsiq ("Wednesday")

    Grammar Note

    -laaq- refers to tomorrow or later. For today's date use Ullumi kisuuva?

17. ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᕈᓐᓇᖏᑦᑐᖓ.

    I-nuk-ti-tu-run-na-ngit-tu-nga.

    I can't speak Inuktitut.

    Usage

    Say it first to tell people that you cannot follow in Inuktitut

    Grammar Note

    It follows the same pattern as uivititurunnangittunga ("I can't speak French") with the language name swapped. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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